WASHINGTON (CNN) - A former senior campaign adviser to John McCain is rejecting Sarah Palin’s claim that she was billed for the costs of vetting her before she was selected as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Palin’s book “Going Rogue” is set to hit the bookstores next Tuesday, but the Associated Press reported the claim Thursday after purchasing a copy of the book before the sale date. The AP reported that Palin writes about the legal fees she began to accumulate after returning to Alaska once the campaign ended, most of which were the result of having to defend herself from ethics charges.

The AP said that Palin writes about receiving a bill for about $500,000 from the McCain campaign to pay for expenses relating to the vetting process that took place before she was named as the vice presidential nominee.

"That is one hundred percent untrue," said the McCain official, who would only speak on the condition of anonymity in deference to McCain. "All those bills are from her personal attorney Thomas Van Flein, mostly relating to the Troopergate investigation and other ethics investigations. It is not legal to pay for those investigations out of general election funds, even if the campaign was so inclined."

Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton would not confirm the accuracy of the AP report.

"The book remains embargoed," Stapleton said in an e-mail to CNN. "The Governor will appear on Oprah first to discuss the book's contents.”

The Oprah interview, which was taped Wednesday, will air in its entirety next Monday. The memoir officially hits stores the following day, and Palin kicks off her much-anticipated book tour in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Wednesday.

soundoff(298 Responses)

Gordon

Hey Sarah. You and Carrie Prejean make a perfect couple You are both attractive, both full of yourselves, and both liars. When I see either of your names the word 'bimbo' comes to mind. You betrayed the citizens of Alaska, who voted for you by then turning around and resigning. Effectively you are saying 'well, that was fun, now let's see what else I can get up to.' That is a direct insult to your former constituents. What makes you think that anyone would want to see you run for ANY other office?

The AP reported that 1/10th of the $500,000 worth of attorneys fees were for the McCain campaign, not the entire amount. The exact amount may not be the issue, but if you are quoting another new source it is best to get the quote correct.

November 12, 2009 07:24 pm at 7:24 pm |

Daniel Schlafer

I do not believe Sarah Palin was billed for vetting by the 2008 McCain campaign . That would have been been pretty cheap by any political campaign standards . When you are writing a book called Going Rogue , it should not surprise anyone that the comment was written because Mrs Palin really believes herself to be independent .

November 12, 2009 07:25 pm at 7:25 pm |

G D

Apparently, Palin is not only a quitter that wouldn't quit, she's now been relieved of being the rogue on the team of mavericks. I guess if one is conservative enough, fantasy & reality need not coincide. May she walk the bride to nowhere!

November 12, 2009 07:26 pm at 7:26 pm |

Tim

Can someone in the Republican Party please take this woman under his or her wing and teach her at least to be a half-decent liar? It must be so embarrassing to have such a lightweight be your most prominent representative. Can't Rush help her somehow?

November 12, 2009 07:26 pm at 7:26 pm |

Wolfe

This book is a work of fiction.

November 12, 2009 07:26 pm at 7:26 pm |

RR

Sarah Palin made something up? Shocking! This has never happened before!!

November 12, 2009 07:26 pm at 7:26 pm |

Darrell

Sarah Palin is a very well known liar so this is nothing new. What do you expect to read in this book except for lies. I am sure her cult followers will say everything is true but as usual she will be caught in more lies.

November 12, 2009 07:27 pm at 7:27 pm |

Sandra in Oregon

How shocking! Palin lied again? This woman just keeps spewing out the lies and seems to think everyone is as stupid as her. If anything they vetting process was horrible, had a better job been done this train wreck never would've occurred. But of course she has her loyal following who believe every hateful and "cover her own behind" untruth she tells.

November 12, 2009 07:27 pm at 7:27 pm |

joyce

The problem was that the McCain Campaign did'nt spend ANY money to check her out. Had they spent some time/money to do so, she would'nt have been selected.
Looks like she expected the campaign to pay her attorney for the legal problems she got herself into as the governor, not the candidate!
He had to have told to bill the campaign by her, they merely sent those bills back to her.

November 12, 2009 07:27 pm at 7:27 pm |

[R]s are Dumbasrocks

The picture shows Dumb and Dumber. The rightwing mental twinkies who defend and worship Dumb and Dumber are Dumbest.

November 12, 2009 07:27 pm at 7:27 pm |

Rival Church

I wish people would realize this woman has NO intention of ever becoming POTUS. She is a celebrity and has found her niche to mine the gold. It's all about the money, honey.

November 12, 2009 07:28 pm at 7:28 pm |

Ben

Why does a McCain official have to say the claim is untrue. I think if John McCain was the "maverick" he claims to be then he would have came out and said it himself. I think he has forgotten where he has come from.

November 12, 2009 07:29 pm at 7:29 pm |

JANIE

What a Conservative LIAR, profiting but yet citing these Conservative fools to believe she is conservative, now thats LAUGHABLE. liar

November 12, 2009 07:29 pm at 7:29 pm |

Jeff, Huntington Beach, CA

a snake and a liar... just like her cohort Carrie Prejean, the vindictive has been beauty queen.

And they both call themselves "Christians."

November 12, 2009 07:30 pm at 7:30 pm |

Christine

Typical CNN bias. I just read an excerpt of her book. Sarah Palin is quoted as saying, she was billed for 10% of the $500,000. ($50,000) for V.P 'vetting'.
Please print a correction.

November 12, 2009 07:30 pm at 7:30 pm |

Frank, Xenia, Ohio

Truman said it, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

Palin should never have been launched into the national political arena because she could not stand the heat. This assertion in her book, if true, is more evidence.

(As if we needed more proof after she showed that she wasn't a quitter by quitting as governor.)

November 12, 2009 07:30 pm at 7:30 pm |

Karen in Maine

I GUESS "GOING ROGUE" MEANS LYING UNCONTROLLABLY.... Are any of us really surprised?

November 12, 2009 07:30 pm at 7:30 pm |

Rebecca

It doesn't surprise me that she is lying, she has always lied. Her appeal is to the lowest part of people. Those who hide their fear of others being different, or need to feel above others by rapping their beliefs in either being "A Good American" or "Christian" What also doesn't surprise me is that this disclosure won't change anything.

November 12, 2009 07:30 pm at 7:30 pm |

m smith

Like most everyting else Miss Paline say's. Lies are a staple with this woman. How dumb can you be to stay stuff like that that can easly be found out. Oh I forgot the base she speaks to very rarely bothers to research anything said and just blindly follows the wingnuts.

November 12, 2009 07:31 pm at 7:31 pm |

Andrew

Sarah Palin couldn't tell the truth if her LIFE depended on it. She is one of the dumbest, most inarticulate creatures on earth! Why can't we just send this thing on a bridge to nowhere?????

November 12, 2009 07:31 pm at 7:31 pm |

A-Republican

She will do anything to get publicity for her book. I would never want to see her on any republican ticket.